02 Sep 21. ESC Young Investigators Award

Congratulations to Dr Evangelos Tzolos who received the Young Investigators Award at the recent European Society of Cardiology Congress.

At this year’s European Society of Cardiololgy Congress, Edinburgh Imaging member Dr Evangelos Tzolos, Clinical Research Fellow, received the Young Investigators Award for his presentation, “In vivo coronary artery thrombus imaging with 18F-GP1 PET-CT.”

Please find below the presentation abstract.

“Ninety-four (44 post-myocardial infarction & 50 control patients) were included in the cross-sectional analysis. The mean age of the post-myocardial infarction group was 61 ± 9 years, three-quarters were male & two thirds had presented with ST elevation on electrocardiography. 34 (80%) patients post-myocardial infarction, but none of the control patients, demonstrated focal 18F-GP1 uptake in the coronary arteries. Of 42 vessels with an angiographic culprit lesion, 35 (83%) had 18F-GP1 uptake which was significantly higher than non-culprit vessels as well as control vessels, while non-culprit vessel uptake was similar to control vessel uptake (culprit vessel median TBRmax 1.2 [interquartile range 0.96-1.44]; non-culprit vessel TBRmax (0.96 [0.84-1.03]]; control vessel TBRmax 0.9 (0.76 to 0.94)). On multivariable regression analysis, higher 18F-GP1 uptake was independently associated with culprit vessel status. Extra-coronary uptake was seen in regions of left ventricular thrombus, left atrial appendage thrombus, pulmonary thromboembolism & intramyocardial microvascular obstruction.”

We asked Dr Evangelos Tzolos his thoughts on receiving the award.

“We are really excited for winning this award. We are so pleased that ESC has recognised the important & novel findings of our study.

GP1 PET/CT has proved to be really sensitive & specific in picking up small thrombi inside & outside the coronaries.

This can help us categorise myocardial infarction better when the culprit artery isn’t clearcut.”